Bucks &amp; Oxon

<div class=""><strong>THE LOCATION</strong></div>
<div class=""> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66797 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-chosley.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-chosley.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-chosley-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-chosley-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-chosley-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
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<div class=""><span class="">The Red Lion is a traditional country pub in the heart of the South Oxfordshire village of Cholsey. </span><span class="">Just 2 miles from Wallingford, Cholsey was once home to the world famous novelist Agatha Christie &#8211; in fact, dear sleuthers, she’s buried in the churchyard at nearby St Mary’s.  There’s no mystery about The Red Lion though as it’s easy to find on the Wallingford Road, with it’s own spacious carpark. </span></div>
<p><span class=""><strong>THE VIBE</strong></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66799 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-interior.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-interior.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-interior-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-interior-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-interior-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
<div class=""><span class="">This pub is so important to the local community that three local dads took it on to prevent it from closing.  They’ve spent the last 18 months or so modernising the interiors.  Grey walls, mis-matched tables and chairs and a liberal sprinkle of fairy lights have made what could be a dark pub with low ceilings (if you’re tall like me, mind your head!) into a fab family friendly, lighter and brighter space. </span></div>
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<div class=""><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66798 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-table.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-table.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-table-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-table-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-table-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
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<div class=""><span class=""> It has a relaxed and casual feel and kids are very welcome here. Is it gastropub? Probably not, but it&#8217;s a good quality local with a warm, buzzy vibe (and they&#8217;re not easy to come by).  There’s plenty of crayons, jigsaws and boardgames to play with and a good sized garden out the back which is currently being done up for the summer &#8211; think bright benches and love-benches.  If you’re after a quiet one though, you may want to think again. We went for Sunday lunch and it was busy and full of lively chatter.  And most importantly no-one batted an eyelid at our loud and fidgety nine year old.</span></div>
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<div class=""><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66738 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Red-Lion-Cholsey-interior-.jpg" alt="Red Lion Cholsey interior tables banquette cushions seating" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Red-Lion-Cholsey-interior-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Red-Lion-Cholsey-interior--150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Red-Lion-Cholsey-interior--300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Red-Lion-Cholsey-interior--667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
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<div class=""><span class=""><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong><br />
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<div class=""><span class="">During the week this place is known for its pizzas (also available to takeaway), burgers and the usual pub grub.  Sundays are all about the traditional roast dinner which is when we visited.</span></div>
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<div class=""><span class="">To start with my daughter had roast parsnip honey and apple soup with chorizo chips and warm bread (£5).  </span></div>
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<div id="attachment_66749" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-66749" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-66749 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Parsnip-soup-Red-Lion-Cholsey.jpg" alt="Parsnip soup with bread roll Red Lion Cholsey" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Parsnip-soup-Red-Lion-Cholsey.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Parsnip-soup-Red-Lion-Cholsey-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Parsnip-soup-Red-Lion-Cholsey-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Parsnip-soup-Red-Lion-Cholsey-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><p id="caption-attachment-66749" class="wp-caption-text">Roast parsnip honey and apple soup with chorizo chips and warm bread (£5).</p></div>
<p>while my son and I both went for beetroot cured salmon gravadlax with celeriac and lemon rémoudlade and sourdough crackers (£6.50).  All very tasty and clean plates all round.</p>
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<div class=""><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66761 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Beetroot-gravalax-Red-Lion-Cholsey-.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Beetroot-gravalax-Red-Lion-Cholsey-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Beetroot-gravalax-Red-Lion-Cholsey--150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Beetroot-gravalax-Red-Lion-Cholsey--300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Beetroot-gravalax-Red-Lion-Cholsey--667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
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<div class=""><span class="">Next the main event. The kids had a half sized portion of crackle pork belly, braised in Aspalls Cyder, with half a brown sugar baked Bramley and Swiss chard (£13.50 for a full-sized portion) &#8211; even the sound of it is magnficent. But I felt I could trump that with Scots Grove Farm roast rump of beef, wholegrain mustard and rosemary rub, with caramelised red onion (a very reasonable £13.95, below). </span></div>
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<div class=""><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66763 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Roast-beef-Red-Lion-Cholsey.jpg" alt="roast beef Yorkshire pudding peas Red Lion Cholsey" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Roast-beef-Red-Lion-Cholsey.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Roast-beef-Red-Lion-Cholsey-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Roast-beef-Red-Lion-Cholsey-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/Roast-beef-Red-Lion-Cholsey-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
<p>The roasts all came with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pud, veg and gravy. Everything was tasty, to a really good standard and there was plenty of it…kids thought it was delicious (silence!) but were defeated by their portions.  The food is locally sourced where possible &#8211; the meat comes from the village butchers.</p>
<p>Finally, pudding time (*virtual selfie high five*). After a long period of massive indecision due to too many groovy options on the menu, my daughter eventually chose cookies dough cheesecake and I had a rather good chocolate brownie but we were all a bit jealous of the boy’s salted caramel pancakes….next time!  All the puddings were £5.50 each and disappeared quickly.</p>
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<div class=""><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-66796 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-dessert.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-dessert.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-dessert-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-dessert-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/red-lion-dessert-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></div>
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<div class=""><span class=""><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong><br />
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<p>Cholsey has a mainline railway station but train spotters young and old might enjoy a visit to <a href="http://www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cholsey &amp; Wallingford Railway</a> which runs vintage trains on the old branch line from the village to Wallingford.  Check out the website for the dates it runs and to book a ride.</p>
<p><strong><span class="">THE MUDDY VERDICT</span></strong></p>
<p><span class=""><strong>Good for:</strong>   Big groups, families with children.  There is a children’s menu the rest of the week  (£6.50) but on Sundays they offer smaller portions of the roasts.</span></p>
<p><span class=""><strong>Not for:</strong> Couples looking for a romantic night out or a peaceful Sunday lunch.  When it’s busy it’s lively and a little on the noisy side.</span></p>
<p><span class=""><strong>££:</strong> Good value around £6 for starters, £12 &#8211; £15 for mains and £5.50 for puddings.</span></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.redlioncholsey.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Red Lion</a>, 39 Wallingford Road, Cholsey, Wallingford, OX10 9LG. Tel: 01491 651295.</em></p>
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<p>Was this helpful? Read our other <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/">pub reviews</a>.</p>


Review: The Red Lion, Cholsey

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